A Meadow Brown basking in the sun, one of many 'common' butterflies I saw today walking round several meadows near Ickleford in Hertfordshire. There were plenty of Meadow Browns, Gatekeepers, Peacocks etc.

 Actually I was hoping to see a Small Copper though no luck. My friend Jif had been searching for this elusive butterfly for several weeks in various likely locales. He contacted me a few days ago to say he saw one in the Ickleford meadows.

  Jif is a man who likes a quest. He once went to Panama hoping to spot a Resplendent Quetzal in the jungle (and he did). But I didn't come across a Small Copper so for me the quest goes on...